As environmental issues become more serious concerns, today’s Earth Day event gives students an opportunity to become informed and have a little fun.

The theme of this year’s event, organized by the Arizona Student Recycling Association, is “”Green Transportation.”” The event will feature energy-efficient vehicles available at three Tucson dealerships.

Along with the dealerships’ hybrid vehicles, Facilities Management will bring an E85 vehicle, and the Pima Association of Government will have an ethanol vehicle on display as well, said Stephan Classen, an environmental science senior and president of the recycling association.

E85 is a mixture of up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent petroleum. Currently, one-third of Facility Management’s Motor Pool fleet are E85 vehicles.

The Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology will be presenting information about the technologies it works on, like its solar hot pot, which is basically a glass solar oven, said Gigi Owen, a research specialist for the Ambos Nogales Revegetation project.

“”It cooks with pure sunlight, and you can cook beans, rice and chicken,”” Owen said. “”You can even bake bread.””

Also on display will be “”papercrete,”” a fibrous concrete made of 50 percent to 80 percent recycled paper and similar to adobe bricks in shape and size.

“”They are more energy-efficient and insulative,”” Owen said.

ECOalition will be surveying students on their views about energy, pollution and natural resources, said Prabjit Virdee, a psychology senior and president of ECOalition.

“”We want to figure out the most effective way to make students part of our mission,”” Virdee said.

ECOalition is an affiliation of UA clubs that are environmentally focused, according to the group’s Web site.

The group will also have an environmental game show at its booth, which Virdee said was popular at the Step It Up 2007 event at Himmel Park on Saturday.

“”People under 21 knew more of the answers than those who were older,”” Virdee said.